“The moment Orseus saw Heina’s lake-like eyes, he instinctively knew that he would never be able to escape from within them for the rest of his life.”
A gentle and infinitely soft voice spread through the bedroom. It was truly regrettable that it only made me feel uncomfortable. That was because, despite His Highness having woken up a long time ago, he showed absolutely no sign of leaving the bed.
‘What on earth is he doing?’
And while holding me in his arms, no less. Even if I were to concede a hundred times up to that point, the sudden reading was truly bewildering. It wasn’t even just ordinary reading. His Highness even went so far as to read an epic poem to me in a gentle voice. At first, I had simply listened quietly, captivated by the beautiful voice that could enchant people, but when it exceeded an hour, even I couldn’t help but sense something was strange.
“Um… Your Highness. The sun rose long ago.”
Interrupting that beautiful voice felt sinful, but it was something that had to be done.
“Yes. That’s why the sunlight feels so pleasant.”
Even though he knew what my words implied, His Highness cheekily gave a different answer. He even continued reciting the epic poem while turning the page.
“Ah, it was inevitable that Orseus would become a prisoner of love. He was ready to even sheathe the sword he had proudly wielded. Compared to useless swordplay, how valuable was his love with Heina? At that moment, Heina became the master of Orseus’s world, and he was willing to become the world’s guardian.”
His Highness, reading the scene where Orseus—a loyal retainer of the first emperor—fell in love, truly seemed to be in love himself. Even if everything was my imagination, it was certain that His Highness was in the happiest state he’d been in recently.
‘Does His Highness read books aloud when he’s in a good mood?’
Though I had served him for a long time, I had never once seen him like this. However, I didn’t know about His Highness’s childhood. It wouldn’t be strange at all if he had one or two habits I didn’t know about.
‘Then wouldn’t it be fine to just stay like this?’
For His Highness, who carried out his duties breathlessly every day, even a day of rest couldn’t be called a luxury. The only concern was the schedule that had already been set…
“Is the story boring?”
“Not at all.”
I was caught completely losing my concentration. I hadn’t intended to hide it in the first place, but being hit right on the mark made me flinch.
“I see. I’m reading the most important part, so concentrate.”
His Highness, who had lightly stroked my hair, tried to continue the reading. However, unable to contain my doubt, I finally blurted out a question.
“This scene?”
If you asked people to pick the 10 most famous scenes from the epic poem, the passage he was reading now wouldn’t be called even at the very end. They would mention first the scene where he first receives the call from the gods, the scene where he turns the tide in the war against the demon race, and the rest would speak of scenes where someone dies or kills.
“Yes. It’s one of the few decent scenes in this epic poem.”
Cynicism crept into the consistently gentle sentences.
“Orseus should never have forgotten this resolve, no matter what. Don’t you think so?”
At this point, Orseus, who had fallen in love, hesitated to head to the battlefield, but in the end left the emperor to go subjugate the demon race. In the final battle, he achieved great merit and died, and in the end, Heina, left alone, threw herself off a cliff.
“But if he hadn’t gone with the first emperor, there wouldn’t be the peace we have now.”
Though it was weak, I spoke words supporting Orseus. His Highness’s words, if taken a bit further, could be interpreted as blasphemous, so I was cautious.
“What use is that?”
But His Highness was resolute.
“He saved this useless world and destroyed his own world. It was a foolish choice.”
Though I had heard this epic poem hundreds of times, this perspective of interpretation was a first.
‘What choice would I have made?’
Until now, I had thought that protecting His Highness was the same as protecting the country, and also protecting my world, so I had no need to stand at such a crossroads of choice. After very long deliberation, I whispered as if confessing.
“Your Highness is right.”
“I’m glad we think alike.”
Praise returned as if I had given the correct answer. Every time he treated me like a child like this, I felt embarrassed yet pleased, and therefore even more ashamed. As I remained silently held in his arms for quite a while, I heard the sound of the book closing.
“You must be hungry, so let’s have a meal brought in.”
“You’re dining in the bedroom as well?”
I had thought he might handle his schedule in the afternoon at least, but to even have a meal here—it seemed like he had no intention of going out at all.
“I’ve canceled all official schedules until tomorrow.”
“Pardon?”
“Originally, trait-holders rest at least that much when their heat comes.”
The words that His Highness had already resolved his pheromones yesterday rose right up to my throat. Alphas with strong traits usually don’t completely recover even after releasing their pheromones once, so by regulation, it was normal to be able to rest for 3 days during heat. But the problem was that His Highness had never once followed that until now.
‘In just one day—no, in just a few hours, there were times when he shook it off and got up…!’
I had even heard that during the war, Sir Ken had been horrified when His Highness tried to get through his heat by taking large amounts of medicine that didn’t even work well.
“Why, would you prefer I work in a state where I haven’t fully recovered?”
“Not at all. How could I dare think such a thing? Of course you should rest.”
“Then you’ll dine with me, won’t you?”
I didn’t know why the conversation was jumping like this, but in this atmosphere, it was difficult to refuse.
“I think it would be good for you to gain a little weight. Pay special attention to the dessert when bringing it out.”
“Understood.”
The attendants, who had been keeping even their breathing to a minimum, quietly went outside and soon returned wheeling in a tray.
“Come here.”
His Highness, who had lifted me up easily, moved to the table just like that.
“Please put me down.”
“It will be hard for you to walk.”
Mentally, being carried was harder than walking, but I couldn’t be quite that honest. His Highness insisted on seating me in a chair, then brushed my lips with his finger. When I reflexively curled up my body, a small laugh was heard.
“You shouldn’t bite your hair.”
“I-I apologize.”
The finger that had touched my lips had silver hair caught on it. Though it happened because I wasn’t used to long hair, it was also true that I had been careless, so I was embarrassed.
“You’re always apologizing over nothing.”
His Highness pulled the chair closer, then gestured something to the attendants. Then, as if they had been waiting, a medicine in syrup form was handed over. His Highness, who opened the cap, tasted the medicine with his little finger.
‘What is it? Is he feeling unwell?’
I was briefly worried, but soon realized that possibility was extremely low. Furthermore, considering that His Highness was someone whom poison didn’t work on and therefore medicine also didn’t work well on, the act of taking medicine when sick didn’t make sense in the first place.
‘Then why…?’
Before I could establish a proper hypothesis, the medicine was pressed into my hand.
“Take it.”
“Is it for me?”
“Yes.”
I poured the medicine into my mouth without much thought. Only then did I think, ‘It must be the medicine that the omegas who spent their rut with His Highness drank.’ It was medicine to prevent pregnancy in order to prevent illegitimate children. Before I could think more deeply, the artificial fruit scent clung to my tongue more unpleasantly than the bitter taste. As I endured the discomfort and swallowed all the syrup, sweet chocolate entered my mouth. Even when I was very young, I had never been praised for taking medicine well, so receiving this treatment as a grown adult felt strange. That was also His Highness’s specialty.
‘I was in a position where I couldn’t even ask for medicine when I was sick in the first place.’
As I was recalling memories that were no longer even bitter, His Highness tapped my nape with his finger. Just that alone made it feel like yesterday’s sensations were awakening, and I curled up my body. This body didn’t even seem to tire—just that small gesture made tingles bloom in my stomach.
“You can’t just recklessly accept anything you’re given.”
When I stared with wide eyes, trying to convey the meaning of ‘but it was given by Your Highness, so how could I not?’, a faint smile was returned. We briefly looked into each other’s eyes. Then His Highness lowered his head and invaded my mouth, which still contained warmly melted chocolate.
The tongue that moved sometimes as if licking the chocolate, sometimes as if teasing the mucous membranes, left only after melting my entire body. I had to hastily cover my mouth because a wistful moan was about to flow out.
“Sweet.”
Unlike me, His Highness seemed satisfied.
“You must only accept what I give you. Understand?”
Even though I knew it was blasphemous, I just nodded. His Highness didn’t bother to point out my rudeness of not answering aloud.
